Runt
by Lily Hanson
Summary: Oneshot: Kaylee's smaller than average; it's a well known fact. No one's really teased her about it, other than playfully, because they know she's a force to be wreakened with... except one kid, Michael.


**Disclaimer**: DO NOT OWN! Only Kaylee.

* * *

All her life, Kaylee had been slightly shorter than average. She wasn't a little person, or anywhere near it, but she was always the shortest person in her class. Hell, Kira was a tiny girl, and even she was looking down on the green Ranger.

Though being short had a few advantages, it came with a downside. Ever since childhood, Kaylee had been made fun of for her height. She learned to shrug it most of the time. And in any case, most of the people insulting her were taller than average. Conner was one of them.

Though most of the time it was playful (again, Conner), Kaylee got the occasional bullies. Some people had been really mean about her height. More than once Tori had to step up and protect Kaylee from the taller kids. At one point, Kira had to stand up to someone.

The worst case happened when Kaylee was seven years old. That was when her growth started lagging behind her classmates. There was one boy in her class, who also lived down the street from her, who must have taken steroids at one point, because he was already close to five feet.

The boy was known for his mean streak, but usually stayed away from the Hanson sisters after Tori called his older brother out on the playground one day.

One that particular day though, the boy was having a bad day, and his usual victims weren't around the area. There was only Kaylee, and the swings.

The boy walked up to Kaylee, towering over her as a smirk appeared on his face. Though he was seven (and a half), the smirk was intimidating. Kaylee coward in fear and stepped back a few paces before falling onto the swings. The boy laughed as he pushed her backwards, forcing the swing upwards and pulling Kaylee's feet off the ground.

"You're a little runt, aren't you?" he teased.

"Let me down, Michael," Kaylee whined, kicking her feet around, hoping it would somehow help her down.

"Let you down? Why on earth would I do that? You're finally average height," Michael laughed as he began twisting the swing. Kaylee held on to the chains tight, afraid that if she let go, she would fall and hit the sand. Normally she would enjoy the fall, but at the height she was now at, she was afraid she would break something. "Now you're not much of a runt, but I'm still taller than you."

"Let me down!" Kaylee whined again as the chains twisting around each other reached the spot where her hands where. She was forced to let go and grab the seat before Michael tried to push her off. "I mean it. My sister's going to see you, and she's really going to hurt you!"

"Your sister can't do squat!" Michael laughed. "She's a shrimp as well!"

"No she's not!" Kaylee yelled. "She's a normal girl! I'm the short one, and I'm not even that short! Two years ago I met a girl who was my height!"

"She's a dwarf too!" Michael groaned. "A short, tiny, puny, pathetic, little dwarf. Just like you."

Michael poked Kaylee on the top of the chest with every word, enjoying the fearful look on her face. Kaylee held onto the chains tighter, before Michael let go. She spun around, and around, and around, and around, until she slammed into the sand, eating some of it.

"Ow," Kaylee groaned, holding her butt as she did. "That was mean."

"No, it would be mean if I kicked sand in your face," Michael laughed, doing what he had said. Kaylee tried spitting out the sand and closed her eyes to keep them from stinging in pain. "See, this would be mean."

"Stop it!" Kaylee yelled, swinging her fists in the air desperately, hoping to hit Michael's legs. "Leave me alone!"

"Stop it?" Michael asked. "I don't know the meaning of the word. What does it mean?"

"Don't do that anymore!" Kaylee explained, knowing it wasn't going to make a difference. "Please stop! You're hurting me!"

The sandstorm didn't stop for Kaylee, but she did manage to tackle him down, using her short size to trip him onto the ground. Before Michael even hit the ground, Kaylee was making her way to the play structure. Michael got up as soon as he recovered from the fall and ran after her. Kaylee ducked under a metal bar and ran for the slide.

Michael didn't see the metal bar, so when he forgot to duck under it, the bar hit him in the head. He recoiled in pain, before spotting Kaylee by the slide. The small blonde's eyes widened before she threw herself down. Michael ran after her and was right behind her, before he felt himself stop before he even began.

"What?" he asked, looking down at the sand, where his feet were already touching. He looked to the side, and saw he was still at the top of the play structure. He groaned and stood up.

"Kaylee, you runt!" he yelled, running across the sand to reach Kaylee. Kaylee took off and ran to the seesaw.

"Try to catch me!" Kaylee giggled, running to one side of the seesaw, while Michael stayed on the other. She sat down on her seat and laughed as Michael pushed down on his side. Because of her light weight, Kaylee was thrown into the air and over Michael's head. She giggled as she flew through the air, landing perfectly on the sand.

"HA!" she teased. Michael growled and tackled her into the sand, pinning her down. He brought his fist up and threatened to punch her with it. Kaylee tried squirming out as she stared at his fist.

"Please don't hurt me," Kaylee whined. "I don't wanna go home with a booboo."

"HEY!" someone called from the top of the play structure. Michael looked up, but couldn't see the person due to the sun shining in his eyes. "Leave my sister alone!"

"Uh-oh..." Michael frowned, lowering his fist to his side as he slowly got off Kaylee. "Tori... I'm sorry... she was..."

"Leave her alone, got it, airhead?" Tori growled, jumping down. She walked over to Michael and stood in front of him. She was still much smaller than he was, but the look in her eye meant trouble. And if she could take on his older brother, he would be no match for her.

"Yeah!" Kaylee smirked, getting up and standing beside her sister, though half her body was hiding behind Tori. "If you mess with me, then you have to deal with Tori."

"I'll just... leave... and go... before..."

"Before what, huh Mike?" Tori asked, advancing on Michael. "What could you possibly do?"

"N-nothing..."

"You're just a coward!" Tori yelled. "You like picking on other people because it makes you feel better! You like making other people feel bad about themselves so you can feel better!"

"No... I... SHUT-UP!" Michael yelled, shoving Tori back. Tori growled, but didn't make an attempt to shove him back. Instead, she just stood there.

"Leave my sister alone!" Kaylee growled. "She didn't hurt you!"

"Shut-up, runt!"

"No, you shut up!"

"Kaylee," Tori scolded, pushing Kaylee behind her. "Don't encourage him. Just walk away."

"What?" Kaylee frowned as Tori lead her away from the park.

"Just turn and walk," Tori repeated, taking her sister's hand. "Don't look back. Don't make eye contact. Just leave."

"But it's not gonna-"

"I know, but he's not going to hurt you."

Kaylee looked up at her sister and frowned. She didn't understand why Tori told her to walk away, but Michael wasn't following them, and he wasn't saying anything to bring the girls back.

He may have been tall, he may have been strong, but inside, he was small and weak. He was no better than anyone else. It may have seemed that way to kids like Kaylee, who were forced to look up at him every day as he talk down to them. He was always using his size to get his way with people.

Though Kaylee was small and looked weak on the outside, she was much like her sister. She had a huge heart and fought with courage. She never tried intimidating anyone (except her future brother in-law, but he's a sister stealer), and was always kind to knew people she met.

Tori was a great person. She never once looked down on anyone. She stood up for those who needed help, and didn't bring herself down to the level of bullying.

"You're a runt, Kaylee!" Michael finally called, but only when the two girls were almost out of the park. "You're a runt and you always will be! You're a disgrace to the human race!"

Kaylee looked up at her sister, seeing the height difference, as a tear rolled down her cheek. She wanted to turn to Michael and yell back at him, but she knew Tori was going to tell her otherwise.

"Hey, being short is still awesome," Tori laughed, poking her sister. "You can totally beat anyone in hide and go seek."

"Yeah, that's true," Kaylee smiled. "And I can do this!"

Kaylee flicked her sister's forehead, then ducked when Tori tried flicking her back. She crawled under Tori's legs and fled to the car, where her father was waiting for her.

"Daddy!" she smiled, jumping into his arms.

"Kaylee!" he laughed, catching her and squeezing her lovingly.

"Am I short?" she asked.

"You get it from your mother, sweetheart," he teased her, ruffling her hair with his hand.


End file.
